Russian girl rape case: Goa politician surrenders

After absconding for nearly one month, Goa politician John Fernandes, accused of raping a young Russian girl, surrendered before police on Wednesday and was placed under arrest. On Monday the Supreme Court refused to restore his anticipatory bail initially granted.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (CB) Chandrakant Salgaoncar told reporters that Fernandes has been placed under arrest and would be interrogated to get further evidence in the case.

Salgaoncar said the accused walked into the Crime Branch office at Dona Paula with his lawyer at 2 pm. “He was immediately placed under arrested as we were looking out for him for his custodial interrogation,” he added.

He also said the accused would be charged with destroying evidence as he had handed over clothes not worn by him to the investigators earlier.

John, a south Goa-based politician, who unsuccessfully fought 2007 assembly elections on Churchill Alemao’s Save Goa Front Party, allegedly raped a 25-year-old Russian girl by spiking her drinks at Colva beach on the night of December 1.

Salgaoncar said the accused was absconding from the time Panaji bench of Bombay High Court rejected the anticipatory bail granted to him by district and sessions court. The accused also approached the Supreme Court with the anticipatory bail plea, which refused to interfere with the HC order.

The Crime branch will now also initiate inquiry into John’s movements since he went missing. “If some people have helped him hide, we will initiate action against them also for harbouring a criminal,” Salgaoncar said.

Police had issued look out circulars after John was declared absconder by Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Margao.